Wallace attacks left at Demo unity rally

^'^-"SMALL CROWD CHEERS ^
Wallace attacks left
T-. . fEB 181974
at Demo 'unity rally
BY ROBERT B.CULLEN
Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C.
Even before Alabama Gov.
George C. Wallace appeared on
the platform, it was obvious
which faction of the North
Carolina Democratic party
was being catered to at Saturday's "unity rally^"
In 1972, a Democratic gathering was likely to feature a
rock band or a black soul
combo.
Saturday night's entertainment was provided by a short-
haired country group and a
dance band, the Horace Sher
Orchestra, which featured the
big-band tunes of the '40s.
The Wallace faithful disappointed the party's fund raisers, however. The man who led
the field in the state's 1972
presidential primary with
more than 400,000 votes attracted only about 1,500 into
Raleigh's 7,000-seat Dorton
Party officials said the gas
shortage and Saturday's freez
ing rain were responsible for
their inability to sell more of
the $10 tickets to the affair.
THOSE THAT came nearly
made up in enthusiasm what
they lacked in numbers. They
cheered loudly when Wallace
attacked "the exotic left,"
welfare chiselers, and crime in
the streets. Some wept when he
pulled himself out of his wheel
chair and stood erect to deliver
his speech.
One old man, Audie S. Files
of A she vi lie, stood bunched
over a tape recorder in the
aisle near the platform. He
said he hoped to keep the
recording to use when Wallace
ran for President again in 1976.
Files, who said he was 62,
wore a blue serge suit and a
narrow red tie that said Wallace on it in white letters. The
tie was pinned to his white shirt
with a "U.S.P.O." tie clip that
bespoke his years as a postal
Files said he had ridden the
175 miles from Raleigh to Ashe-
ville by bus to hear Wallace.
"I like him for his Americanism. He's opposed to all this
welfare and throwing money
away on foreign aid. I believe
he's a God-fearing man; he
used to teach Sunday School
you know."
Howard Lee, ]^^^^^^^
thused about Wallace. But Lee,
a potential candidate for lieutenant governor in 1976, said he
thought there was room for
both him and the Alabama
governor in the Democratic
party.
"I've always favored inclusion in the party," Lee said. "I
think it's unfortunate that Gov.
Wallace carries with him an
image from the past.
"I think he's changed somewhat, and I know I've grown
more tolerant as I've gotten
older. Of course, there would
be some issues, like school
integration, that I don't think
we could get together on,"
"-

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^'^-"SMALL CROWD CHEERS ^
Wallace attacks left
T-. . fEB 181974
at Demo 'unity rally
BY ROBERT B.CULLEN
Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C.
Even before Alabama Gov.
George C. Wallace appeared on
the platform, it was obvious
which faction of the North
Carolina Democratic party
was being catered to at Saturday's "unity rally^"
In 1972, a Democratic gathering was likely to feature a
rock band or a black soul
combo.
Saturday night's entertainment was provided by a short-
haired country group and a
dance band, the Horace Sher
Orchestra, which featured the
big-band tunes of the '40s.
The Wallace faithful disappointed the party's fund raisers, however. The man who led
the field in the state's 1972
presidential primary with
more than 400,000 votes attracted only about 1,500 into
Raleigh's 7,000-seat Dorton
Party officials said the gas
shortage and Saturday's freez
ing rain were responsible for
their inability to sell more of
the $10 tickets to the affair.
THOSE THAT came nearly
made up in enthusiasm what
they lacked in numbers. They
cheered loudly when Wallace
attacked "the exotic left,"
welfare chiselers, and crime in
the streets. Some wept when he
pulled himself out of his wheel
chair and stood erect to deliver
his speech.
One old man, Audie S. Files
of A she vi lie, stood bunched
over a tape recorder in the
aisle near the platform. He
said he hoped to keep the
recording to use when Wallace
ran for President again in 1976.
Files, who said he was 62,
wore a blue serge suit and a
narrow red tie that said Wallace on it in white letters. The
tie was pinned to his white shirt
with a "U.S.P.O." tie clip that
bespoke his years as a postal
Files said he had ridden the
175 miles from Raleigh to Ashe-
ville by bus to hear Wallace.
"I like him for his Americanism. He's opposed to all this
welfare and throwing money
away on foreign aid. I believe
he's a God-fearing man; he
used to teach Sunday School
you know."
Howard Lee, ]^^^^^^^
thused about Wallace. But Lee,
a potential candidate for lieutenant governor in 1976, said he
thought there was room for
both him and the Alabama
governor in the Democratic
party.
"I've always favored inclusion in the party," Lee said. "I
think it's unfortunate that Gov.
Wallace carries with him an
image from the past.
"I think he's changed somewhat, and I know I've grown
more tolerant as I've gotten
older. Of course, there would
be some issues, like school
integration, that I don't think
we could get together on,"
"-